Valencia MotoGP Test Day 1, 2:30pm: Weather Ruins Testing, But Still Smiles At Yamaha And Honda

Submitted by David Emmett on Tue, 2012-11-13 13:39

The 2013 season is already well underway, and already it's been badly affected by the rain. Though Tuesday dawned bright and sunny, the first showers started moving in shortly before 10am, when the test was due to start, sprinkling just enough to make slicks a risky proposition, but not enough to be able to use wets properly. It started raining more heavily later, and with a track now fully wet, there has been a mixture of riders on the track already.

Given the massive difference in the conditions, the times are meaningless. Alvaro Bautista and Stefan Bradl got out early to test the track, but soon headed back once it started raining more heavily. Bradl has two bikes in his garage, one 2012 satellite spec RC213V, and one factory Honda RC213V. Valentino Rossi made a very early appearance, rolling out onto the track immediately after 10am. Rossi is notorious for hating mornings, and this is probably the earliest he has ever taken to the track at a test, normally only rolling out an hour or so after everyone else.

Rossi does look supremely comfortable aboard the Yamaha M1, however. During one wet stint he was out posting consistent 1'47 laps, and looking very comfortable. Andrea Dovizioso, out for the first time on the Ducati, was nowhere near as fast, running in the 1'50s at the same time Rossi was lapping several seconds faster.

Neither Marc Marquez nor Bradley Smith have been out yet, the two rookies electing not to risk injury in the half-and-half conditions. Marquez is unlikely to ride at all, waiting for a private test which Honda has scheduled for Sepang at the end of the month, but Smith may try to go out later if it starts to rain properly and the track is consistently wet.

I agree with David, why post LC time??? It makes no sense, he's not riding ever again and he's had his time and shined during it. He doesn't need anymore especially when he has zero meaning to the championship.